Primary battery.



I. A. Eulso'N.'

' PRIMARY BATTERY. APPLxcvmoN man MAY 24...l s'|o.

n 'pgtgnfea Dee. 5', 19m

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 OFFICE.

- THOMAS A. EDISON, OELLEWELEYN PARK, WESTOEANGE, 'NEW JEES'Eg.ESSIGNoRf-fro NEW' JERSEY PATENT QOMEEEY, 0E WEST-'GRANGE NEW JERSEY 0EvNEW' JERSEY.

applicati-Qn mea may amelie. Serial En. 563,043.

" ToaZZ whom t may o once'm:

a citizen pf the .United States', and aflesident of L 51 Jersey, azifi/ieinventedl certain newv :incluse-- -iful Impteitelnents in PrimaryBatteries; of

-ivhicli'the fol-lowing" is a description.'-

My invention relates `to in1proe1`nents in voltaic'n'" primarybatteries-, and 1ny'-obplate construction;antlparticularly to pro--vilea negative electrode 'plate of n'o'velcon- 15 Structiom in Whicli'acompressed depolarnieta'llic container, which' is 'se consti'uctecl asto be practically non-'clefornieble the electrode thus produced beingof'electrodes by molding' plates of copper xicl 'or' otlieij de}o'larizing agent'. and -a binding, c

` container with cori'ngatio desired manner-the depolagi n .socompressed within irlaterial. l My improvednegatiye electrode 25 haganumbei of advantages, both mecheni- 'ical'n'i'id electrical, ever' thisconetruction, es,

Among- .to maintain Shape .all conditions.

will be hereinafter pointedout. t theee ma;y"liere be mentonedgreaterreliebility. 'f When' ag molded plate of copper-01nd "thin ilin' ofnietallic copper, and if this be- "e'onee bn'i'clized or tarnished, the.current :"clenfpreSsure anrlf'ag'glom'erated .11n-sin pen-.

-formsinmjpcsitive and'rejliable Ina-nner the' function-wliicl-*wasperfor-ined by' thelcopa 'pei-' 'surface-'upon 'the n'iol'cled o'Xiclplate,

i5 bririgiiig-tlie copper- .oxicl throughout the container-into.-'.igoodf.metallic Contact with 4the connectingsupport.-Furth'erniije, nay in'i'provecl cell. is yst l'perior,:tojone in Whichtii'e negative electrodel con-siete. of a metallic neiiforated-.containe'th mase'of copper Qniltli 11i sincef-tlielatte it'inislieebu "becausezu. cni- 4coppen- .-.ni'iis aan if mea. Ema-ele. ll'sia "PRIMARYinitier!Emir.`

Specification ai Letteis Patent.

` Withtlie molded plate; making result attainable;A became elements -i nthe batte- 'may provide-a "plurality f .negative-elements in a eelthe.sefrne, and inthe (let le oEPoE @Troia 1 fr. I l

*Patenteane 5,19

crate c! licient ly, aiiczlfoe'c electrical Contact beti- "en th Such.,pressure that' tl rinotlier, and fone 'of of my improved const thenegative' plate ca"n '1 leSS thickness than isf- Apiiactlica poesibleGable the multiple pla.te "fleiige practice,` Without in'Oi'eaeinggramount of space occL surface 'and s'trengthene good Contact therevaiWiththeobjects abeja my 'invention ,resides` ative pla-te asy a nevi7turefin anelectlve pip 5S struction 'llerei'naftenl Referring. nonT to.

. Avertical section and enileleitmn;

@plurality-ef positive iid- 1e xs-* suspended fromj the a 'Similap'Section f-f 'eg tive? lioii'ing a 'el by a metallic frame' 5 whichrests in contact ywith the edges of the electrode.

The" shell or containers of electrode 2 of two members 6 and 7, themember 6' comprising alat top or side portion 8 and turned-over edges 9and 10, while member 7 comprises a iiat sideor bottom 11 havingturned-up edges 12 and 13. As stated, the topxand bottom 8 and 11 ofmembers 6 and 7 are Hat, the corrugated form shown in Figs. 3 and etbeing the result-of a Subsequentfoperation. Members 6 and 7 iit Vonewithintli'e other, turned-up edges 12 'and-1&3 of member '(rittingWithin turned dow edges 9 andilO of member 6.

In forming'the electrode 2, a member as T..

isplaced within the corresponding member as 6,theedges as @9 and 12 atone end being, liowevennot turned'in. The boxflik'e receptacle thusformedis placed Within a former or mold formed to receive the same, theopen end 'of theI container' being uppermost. Depolarizi'ng 'mateifial,preferably oxid of copper` in granular' Vform, is then dumped into `thecontainer-through the open upper end in uniform small increments, thecopper oxid being, 'after each increment is added,

tamped down by 4a 'plunger exerting a very considerablevpressure-'uponthe limited area of the'copper oxid inthe container. Aconsiderable pressure is obtained in this or any other suitable manner,the.' copper oXid being uniformly packed ivitli'i'n the container,

which latter is preyented'from bulging" or becoming deformed di. ring,the illinglby the former or.`mold in which it i's held.' v `Then theIcontainer has been uniformly packe'djvith",copper oxid, the open end ofthe container 'isclosed by bending the edge of' member 7 within the edgeor.v member 6,- and the loaded container is then iitted into a `metallicframe such as the Wire 5 shown in "Figsa2and-3. At the central portionof the 'upper edge of the loaded container a metallic .bridging'member33 is Vprovided which is preferably channel shaped 1n seep tion with itsiiages extending downwardly.

The `wire 5 is p roi-'idedwith upturned spaced-apart ends V21, .21,ivhieh extend through holes vin ,the bridging member' near its ends. Theends yof the bridging member. .embrace portions of therwire 5.ad.--jacent the u-pturned ends 21, 21;"- Tlie'brldging member 33 serves toprevent spreading i 65' of thespaced portions of the Wire 5. The

plate is then placed within a corrugatinl die, and subjected to greatpressure, prei lably hydraulic, whereby the container and lnclosedcopper oxid are compressed, the container being corrugated or bent bylthe press in 'any suitable manner as-shown for example in Figs. 3 and 4.The metal frame 5jl encircling the edges of the 'electrode being held inthe die against movement, the compression of the electrode results inforcing the material of the container somewhat around the inner edge offrame 5 as shown, flanges 9, 10, 12, 13 of the' upper and lower membersof the lcontainer being thereby curved around frame 5 and secured-inlocking engagement thereby. The corrugations or ribs formed upon theVcontainer by the press 'have the effect of stiiening and strengtheningthe same and 'rendering it practically `non-deformable. The mass ofcopper oXid within the container takes, of course, the same conformationas the container within which it is closely compressed. If desired, inplace of the wire frame 5 surrounding the electrode, a turned-up meta-1piece 5, as shown in Fig. 1, can be used. The container may becorrugated by the action of the hydraulic press in parallel corrugationsor ribs as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or in any desired manner, as, forexample,

in concentric and radial lines as indicated in Fig. 5. When theelectrode has been formed as described, I prefer to immerse the same ina solution of any suitable binding agent for the copper oxid, as or example, a solution of caustic soda. After the plate has been immersed fora suiiicient time in the solution it is removed and dried at moderateheat. The electrode is then ready to be mounted in position in thebattery. It is to benoted that inv my improved electrode thedepolarizing mass is agglomerated in sit-u in its container.

My improved cell may be set up in the manner indicated in'Figs. 1 and 2.An insulator 1l of any suitable material, as porcelain, is employed, thepositive or zinc elements ..1 being suspended below the same byconnectors 15, preferably formed of Aamal gamated copper, or iron platedwith copper and amalgamated', through holes in the upper ends ofwhchpasses a conducting bolt 16 which is mounted horizontally in the upperportion of insulator 1i. If a plurality of elements is used, insulator14 may be split as shoun in the drawings, connectors 15 of the zinc orpositive elements then being placed in grooves on the outer edges of theinsulator as shown at 17 and 18, and between thecontacting faces of thetwo portions of the split insulator, as shown at 19. A conductingmember'QO isplaced upon the upper surface of 'insulator 14 and to thisnegative elements 2 are connected, the ends 21, 21 of'fram'e 5surrounding each negative 130 eleetrod being I'sh-own en" prolVidedtwitlrsoe threaded-rends"upoli'm'liiclr T asf-2 31fupon op'dsi-t'e"`faces of insulator 14, fre'nei ne'nfiberfs'f' 211 of negative'elenien'ts 2 1,"sit1it'dupon the front anlbztel: of hewn inthedrawings', while jbositiveelemente l are lo-l sides of the block 14.1'Frame z 'throuf'h' lio'les'i'n c'sirfductlplu pnfthe top of in'sulzitorl-l andere. clamped-seci'lrely'in place by nuts ien being mounted in thebattery'ja-r by means of e crew passing through ver 2 .result 'may Ibeattained by as' by forcing the tops' of nuts contact 'withithe .underside the POSGVe binding post ereby. through conducting 27-is secuied'tobolt 16 liio positive plates 1 are hung, and i i' lllthe cover 24 ofthebattery negative pole 'of `the battery. upon.. boltA 1G. are screwed.tightly goth thesplit insulator und serml-y together., lf 'desired, e.mounted upon bolt 16 on contact between the: zinc b lt 16.. The battery1jairmay i solution, and the elements i Supportwhicli be te-is' used, asshown-in Fig.

'binnen1 th th led by.

in connection with Fig thin-flut metallic plates 21 whichnre Se vcuredat their lower ends to or ure integral with' frame members 5 of thenegative elelerably placed in grooves `plate-cell it is trebled, 'coma-rlsoi'with fi thi'eesplate cell having positive and neg. nnectors 1 5of zinc plates 1 ith a suitable' electrolyte,v

firloweiedgtlleneim co'ei- 2% restlig upon the onged frame 5 surrounding""laee of he. wire-frame 5 -shown n. irsfrsliowninlig, the zinc-or-.posif vplu es 1.- oi which the outside ones' may ,-.eells 1 ut`the. sumedlscherge i'ete, or the cells iter-"mediate ones', can be.discharged.. 'at higher"f 'ra,te 'Wlnle nnjeotois" 15" -fjom bolt 1.6`I'is m'ountdlioiizontally through iney sulators 14 in the same manner'usdel'scribe'de endl-2.1' Negsitive-v elements 2 ere-supported andconnected under the=o v that the connections lbetween the electrodesments.. Plates .21 are clamped between the the flatter are through whichebelt 25muy be piissedgand :idjusted by nuts 26 yabove the `cover 24 ofthe buttery jur and bead B1 'below horizon `tel members 2 8, 29 and 30,cover Z'l'preferably being provided on itsunder-sidewith lugs' 32', 32,pressing uponfthe upper surface of member 28, whereby 'members 2 8,

.Q9 'and 30 are forced int'o 'ir'u'eleetlficcl contact witheach'oth'enf: A cell containingone or 'more' negative electrodes formedin the `mei-nner; described.

'z wts, 'as has. been stated, with'greater reliebil. i'ty than it lcellin`wliicli tlie'oxids :ire of I ewing into vplete 20 upon or lll. Plsite" 20 muy be. ee 01' :other 'suittble num'- d integi'a'llugs 20which" firm Contact with 'the under Zflblfscrew 251e hold the dlyfinposition with relation to=A tiple-p'late, moreover, 1 am' en bled'toreal- 'ige a. much higher .capacity 1n a given slze 'of cell thun'h'asheretofore been practicable. At constant temperature the cepeity'of agiven yolume'o'f` the electrolyte; that is, the.95 quantity of zincwhich it will dissolve, de- 'pende upo'n the current rute persqure inchof active zinc, 01j positiye electrode, surface. .By my invention I am'enabled to' construct live-plate i-ndseyen-plate'cells -occup i ng nomore space than the former tbreeplatef' cells containing one molded oxidplate and two` zinc plates. .111 the five-plete celljthe ac- -tvezinc'surface is doubled tiveV plates of thesume dimensions,respectively. Furthermore, with the same vspacing of pla-tes theinternal resistunc'e'oithe lveplete c ell would Abe about '.one-lmlf,\nd of the Seven-plaltev cell, 'one third thut'fof the three-platecellmentioned; my C OlStruction, .however,-the distance`-between'plates maybe mode considerbly'les's than itis in thepresent threeplite c'ell, withconsequent further. decreuse'in-interuel resistance-. Also,

because of the decreased'internalresistance,' fthe working fvolta'geofthe.fmultlpleplntel tidprae tice.i l4 'fAnother advontage-otmyconstruction 1s and the outside'circut. are made insi'de the jaiabove'the level of the electrolyte. The

' level to which the electrolyte -is illed in the jar is below the bolt16, which result is made possible by thence of the amalgamuted copperconnectors 154 for the zinc plates 1, which connectors are secured tobolt 16 mounted inthe upper part of insulators 14. lVhere theseconnections are made below the surface of the electrolyte, electrolyticacs tion tends to take place between the zinc and the copper or iron ofthe connections.

It may also be noted that in my improved construction the oxid plate ispractically in` tegral with itssupport and thereby the possibility ofbadV contact between the plate and supportjs prevented. The plates maybe spaced close together without danger of short circuit, because of therigid support furnished in the improved construction.

Having now describedniy invention, what I claim and desire to protect-by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. As a new7 article of manufacture, a negative electrode plate for.primary batteries comprising a perforated metallic container having amass of copper oXid aggloinerated 27a/situ therein and in intimatecontact with the walls thereof, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a iiegative electrode for primarybatteries conn prising a perforated metallic container hav ing inintimate contact with the walls thereof'a-nd agglomerated in situtherein a Vdried mass of copper oxid and binding material, substantiallyas described. n

3. As a new article oi manufacture, a neg ative electrode for primarybatteries, comprising a fiat perforated metalliccontainer ofsubstantially rectangular cross section and with corrugated walls,having tightly packed therein under pressure and in' intimate contactwith the walls thereof a dried mass of copper oxid and binding materialagglomerated in, site in said container,v subn stantially as described,

a. In ajpriinary battery, 'the combination of a battery iar cover, aninsulator, a conductingmen-iber supported from the cover below the sameand mounted above the insulator, supporting means for said conduct fingmember, an electrode plate below the in 'sulator, a metallic framesurrounding said plate and having end portions engaging op posite sidesof said insulator, connected d1- rect'ly to said conducting member and'sus pending 'said electrode plate therefrom', a second electrode ofopposite polarity to lsaid first named electrode, and a conductingmember supported by said insulator lto which said electrodeAis-connected and. from which itis suspended, substantially asdescribed.

In a primary' b'atteiy, the combination of a 4plurality of positiveelectrode plates, conducting connectors extending upwardly therefrom, aconducting rod upon which the upper ends .of said connectors-'areremovably secured, a negative 4electrode plate, means cover, including asaid conducting member and between and in engagement with said upwardlyextendedv frame portions, and a plurality of positive electrode platessupported from said insulators, substantially as described.

7. The process of forming an electrode plate for primary batteries,which consists in loading.' and compressing in a perforated metalliccontainer a mass ofcopper oxid,

[then nnpregnating the compressed mass with binding material, and nallydrying the saine, whereby the mater1al Within said container isagglomerated n situ therein and in intimate contact with the wallsthereof substantially as described.

8. The process of forming an electrode plate for primary batteries,which consists in introducing and tamping a mass of cop per oxid in afiat perforated metallic con tainer while preventing deformation 0f thecontainer, and subsequently subjecting the loaded plate to externalpressure upon the sides thereof, then impregnating the com pressed masswith binding material, and finally Clrying the same, whereby thematerialwithin said container is agglomerated n situtherein and inintimate contact with the walls thereof substantially as described.

9, As' a new article of manufacture, an electrode for primary batteriescomprising a ilat perforated metallic container, a highly compressedmass of copper oxid contained therein and in intimate contact therewith,a frame comprising al wire surrounding the container and contacting theedges thereof except at a portion of the upper edge, said wire havingspaced-apart upturned ends ad- `iacent the uncontacted portion' of thecon-- tniner edge, and a bridgingr member connecting said upturned endsin close prox iniityto said container, substantially as described. l

This specification signed and witnessed this 13th day of May, 1910.

THOS. A. EDISON. Witnesses z Dri-:n Smm, Jeux M. CANFJELD.

